Happy Feet...toe taping fun.

This is an entertaining film for kids of all ages; equally as cool, the rest of the family members who accompany the little ones, will find it enjoyable & clever. Happy Feet is an animated story about the growing pains of a young penguin, Mumble, (voice by Elijah Wood), who is dropped “at birth” and appears to have suffered as a result; first, he is the only penguin that cannot carry a tune, let alone sing. Secondly, his feet are constantly in motion, as if he is tap dancing, deemed a peculiar mannerism by his peers & elders. He is essentially the outspoken ugly duckling of the community, that becomes an outcast. Mumble feels his only way to be welcomed back into the fold, is by saving “his people”, and to do so he must solve the mystery of their quickly diminishing food supply.

His father, (voice by Hugh Jackman), and mother, (voice by Nicole Kidman) do their best to be supportive, yet worry about Mumble & his choices. Fortunately for Mumble, he has a small, but loyal group of friends (most notable voice by Robin Williams) that appreciate his corky nature. He also has a crush on a young penguin, Gloria, (voice by Brittany Murphy); she finds him impetuous, yet sees his dancing abilities combined with her singing voice, make for a thrilling team. A team, that later will be influential in unifying their community, which is under attack by explorers and large fishing corporations. If you have seen March of the Penguins, you will appreciate that the migration and parental rituals are depicted authentically. GO SEE, Happy Feet, the music is moving, the storyline is smart, and the spirit of the film is inspiring. (108 minutes, PG)

Babel...is well meaning, but goes on and on.

Babel is thought-provoking without being to dogmatic. It makes a commendable attempt at tackling complex issues, such as 1) we are ALL connected more closely than we can ever imagine, and 2) cause & effect…for every action there is a equal & opposite reaction. This is a story about 4 families seemingly leading separate lives, that tragically careen into one another.

It begins with Brad Pitt (Richard) & Cate Blanchett (Susan), a married couple vacationing in Morocco. While taking a day trip on a guided tour bus through the desert, with stops in small villages, Susan is inexplicably shot. Far off in Tokyo, there is a Japanese businessman at wits end, trying to deal with his troubled & distraught daughter, while in the mist of mourning his wife’s death. Even further away, in America is a devoted nanny (Matyelok Gibbs), and despite having made plans in advance with her employer to travel to Mexico for her son’s wedding, she is unexpectedly stuck babysitting. Faced with a tough situation, she tries to do both with the help of her nephew (Gael Garcia Bernal). And finally, back in the mountains of Morocco, is a goat farming family, who acquired a rifle from a neighbor for purposes of hunting. The children in the family get inquisitive & careless, by aimlessly firing shots off. To frighten to admit their mischievous acts, they try to hide their behavior. As the film moves along, its apparent these families are on a collision course of some sort. There is a great deal to digest with Babel, almost a tad to much; in addition, there are many unresolved storylines, its long, and convoluted, yet admirable. The recommendation is NO GO, and will probably make for a better DVD experience. (142 minutes, R)

Bobby...never going to break my faith.

Emilio Estevez, (writer, director and actor) delivers a gripping docu-drama about the days, hours, and minutes surrounding, Senator, Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in LA. Bobby takes you on a journey of hope and joy, as well as a journey of intolerance and despair culminating on June 6th, 1968. All set during a volatile period in American history when there was an abundance of economic, social, racial, and political strife.

Estevez manages to commandeer an ensemble cast that resembles a Who’s Who of Hollywood, and with this talent, he sheds light on a moment in history by weaving in authentic footage of Bobby's campaign & assassination; with that of life stories of 22 fictional individuals from all walks of life. The portrayal is powerful, in that, despite such a diverse cross-section of people passing through the hotel with different goals & agendas, the film reveals that on that day the nation was profoundly impacted, and that they were more alike than they were different. Primarily because they shared a common bond of optimism for something better, and they felt Bobby would be the one, the only one remaining capable of deliverance. GO SEE, Bobby, it’s moving, it’s nostalgic, and it’s full of depth, allowing us another opportunity to embrace the many faces that make-up the American experience. (120 minutes, R)

Bond Begins with gusto.

Casino Royale is stimulating, and has your immediate attention, with opening scenes set in Madagascar. It takes you through leaps, bounds, and explosions; and the aerobatics without stunt doubles will have you awestruck. James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, is in charge of uncovering a terrorist cell and winning at a high stakes & sometimes deadly, poker tournament. Bond's job is to prevent the $100M pot from ending up in the hands of terrorists seeking to fund more ill-fated activities.

This film is worth the wait, divulging several refreshing surprises. Most notable, Bond in the mist of a metamorphosis that has him fumbling to complete his missions with little or no discretion. In addition, he is managing his vulnerabilities to the elusive, Vesper, played by Eva Green; all during his search for self, as a newly appointed 007. Keeping a handle on this freshman 007 is no easy task, yet MI6 Agency head, M, played by the captivating Judi Dench, does it with poise and single-handedly raises the caliber of this film. GO SEE Casino Royale; Daniel Craig has a commanding performance and he promptly puts to rest rumors of any inadequacy of filling the legendary shoes of his Bond predecessors.
(144 minutes, PG-13)

Harsh Times...inflicts pain.

Christian Bale has a body of work that any actor can be proud of (Batman Begins, The Machinist, Prestige, New World, Shaft), yet Harsh Times will not be one of those films worth reminiscing about. This is a movie about, Jim Davis, played by Christian Bale, an honorably discharged Gulf War veteran, on a mission to secure a job and bring his fiancé from Mexico to begin a new chapter in their lives together. With first-rate experience from the military, Davis returns home to Los Angeles with aspiration of joining an elite division of the LAPD.

While waiting for word back from the police department, he tries reconnecting with an old friend, Mike, played by Freddy Rodriguez (Poseidon, Lady in the Water, Six Feet Under) for fun times. Back in the day, they were juvenile delinquents together…drinking, drugs, girls, theft, intimidation…your basic gangster activities. But to Davis' disappointment, his old friend, is trying to clean up his act, in the mist of a job search and trying to do right by his successful & earnest girlfriend, played by Eva Longoria (Sentinel, Desperate Housewives). But with some peer pressure, Davis persuades his friend, who is eager to feel like an alpha male again, to participate in unsavory behavior. In time, Davis finds out he is passed over for the LAPD assignment, but other doors are opened that he is reluctant to accept. His mental stability is quickly unraveling, impairing his judgment and choices, all the while he is dragging his friends, fiancé and ultimate himself into an abyss of destruction. NO GO for Harsh Times, the theme & dialogue in this film are cliché & unoriginal. (115 minutes, R)

Stranger Than Fiction...little did he know change was coming.

Stranger Than Fiction is unconventional and refreshing, in addition to a surprising performance by Will Ferrell, who plays Harold Crick. Harold is a lonely IRS agent saddled with a meticulous and humdrum life that is about to take a whimsical turn. Kay Effiel, a prolific and reclusive author, played by Emma Thompson, has crafted what she believes is a fictional character for her novel, his name is also Harold Crick but her character yearns for a more robust lifestyle.

Unbeknownst to Kay, and in a strange turn of events, through her writing, she begins narrating to Harold, the IRS Agent, his daily thoughts & activities as they are occurring, real time and as she would have them play out in her novel. While the constant chatter in Harold’s head is unsettling and a daily nuisance, it isn’t until he is informed by “the voice” that his death in imminent; that he is moved with urgency to get to the bottom of his psychosomatic turbulence. Thus begins his mad dash to change his fate, and simultaneous live life as if each day maybe his last. During his due diligence, he discovers that “the voice” is that of an author based in reality, and on the verge of completing her next novel. With assistance from an eccentric literature Professor, played by Dustin Hoffman, he learns that the final chapter of all her novels ends in tragedy, most often with the death of her main character, and in this case, Harold Crick. GO SEE, Stranger Than Fiction. Ferrell shines on screen, revealing range beyond his usual juvenile comedies (Old School, ELF), and the chemistry between him & Maggie Gyllenhaal, is unexpected & persuasive. (113 minutes, PG-13)

Borat...junk food 4 the mind. And NO, its not PC.

This is a dick flick for certain. Borat is relentless with its silly and crude nature; at one point you will witness unattractive, obese, naked people wrestling. Not to mention homophobic, racist, anti-semitic, sexist comments & gestures; you name it Borat finds a way to either make his audience laugh, or highly offend them. The word is NO GO, this movie is like trans fat & junk food for the mind & body.

The Borat character is a popular TV journalist from Kazakhstan traveling to America to film a documentary in hopes of discovering what makes the USA so wonderful. This film is so NOT politically correct, but every once in a while, its healthy to let ones hair down, and just laugh a little. If anything, millions who had never heard of Kazakhstan, may now be open to learning more about this Eastern European country. Borat is insensitive and controversial, played by British comedian, Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of the unscripted & unstaged Ali G Show, and is on a quest at any cost to send his audience into hysterics. Borat's frequent derogatory portrayal is certainly not indicative of most Kazakhstanis, he is self deprecating, in addition to generously poking fun at just about everyone he encounters, most notably naive & uninformed Americans, but its all in the spirit of comedy. Sacha Baron Cohen is provocative & often hilarious, if you are able to resist the overrated media hype, save your time & money, and wait for the Borat: Cultural Learnings of America... DVD. (84 minutes, R)

Death of a President...RIP

Given the State of the Union, and the Commander & Chief's sub-par approval ratings, the title alone, Death of a President might be enough to peak the interest of an inquisitive mind. It begins with so much intrigue, yet it drags you along to the point where you no longer want to participate anymore. It seemed like a film with promise and drama, dabbling into a subject matter that seems almost unspeakable or a topic that only late night comedians would dare go. So much room to run with and yet, it comes off as dry and uninspiring. Which is a positive thing, we don't want folks feeling moved or inspired to commit the heinous act of assassination. NO GO, the primary endearing element of Death of a President, is that it only robbed me of ninety minutes of my valuable time. (90 minutes, R)

Catch A Fire...suspense & politics at work.

This is a compelling & intimate film that reveals to the world another ugly & destructive portrait of apartheid in South Africa. Catch A Fire is based on true events, told through the eyes of Patrick Chamusso, played by Derek Luke. Patrick was a hardworking young man, playing within the rules of apartheid, and trying his best to carve out a better life for his family, yet he is not without flaws, which ultimately exposes his family to vulnerabilities & tragedy. He is alledged to have participated in ANC (African National Congress) terrorist activities, and he is humiliated & tortured by the top cop, Academy Award Winner, Tim Robbins. This is a story of a man who finally felt his options were limited; that he, his family & his people had suffered enough, and it was time to do something about the egregious & unjust treatment of black Africans by white Africans. GO SEE Catch A Fire, an intense & gritty story of survival; survival of the human spirit & the deadly struggle between the have & have nots. (101 minutes, PG-13)